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How a VC Can Affect Your Heart
Many people have occasional PVCs without any problems. If they occur often, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your risk of heart failure.
The rhythm of your heart is controlled by a bundle of fibers located in the upper right part of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial node or SA. Electrical signals are transmitted from there to the lower heart chambers, or ventricles.
Causes
PVCs are caused when the electrical impulse which normally triggers your heartbeat at the Sinus Node (also called the Sinoatrial or SA node) is not initiated. Instead, the impulse is generated in another area of your heart called the ventricles and triggers an untimed beat. These extra beats, known as ventricular tachycardia, or ventricular fibrillation, could feel as if your heart skipped a beat or is like it's fluttering. They can occur rarely and not cause any symptoms, but they could occur frequently enough to impact your quality of life. If they occur frequently or cause dizziness, weakness or fatigue, your doctor may treat them with medicine.
PVCs are generally safe and do not increase your risk of heart disease. Regular PVCs however, could weaken the heart muscle over time. This is especially relevant if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which can cause heart failure.
The symptoms of PVCs include a feeling that your heart beats slower or is fluttering, and you feel breathless. The fluttering could be more evident when you exercise or have certain drinks or foods. PVCs are more prevalent in those suffering from chronic stress or anxiety. Certain medications, like digoxin, amiodarone, and cocaine, can increase the risk.
If you experience occasional PVCs, your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes and medication. If you have frequent PVCs, your physician may recommend that you avoid certain foods and drinks such as alcohol and caffeine. You can also lessen your stress levels by having enough sleep and working out.
If window doctors from a lot of PVCs the doctor might recommend a medical treatment known as radiofrequency catheter ablation. It eliminates the cells that cause PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who carry out this procedure. It is usually effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms, however it does not stop them from occurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of having atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can result in stroke. This is rare, but it can be life-threatening.
Signs and symptoms
Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, can make your heart seem to skip or flutter the beat. These heartbeats can be harmless, however, you should consult your physician if you have frequent episodes or signs like dizziness or weakness.
The electrical signals normally begin in the sinoatrial, located in the upper right-hand corner of the heart. They then travel to the lower chambers, also known as ventricles, which pump blood. The ventricles then contract to propel the blood into your lungs and return to the heart to begin the next pumping cycle. But a PVC begins at a different spot that is separate from the bundle of fibers known as the Purkinje fibers, located in the left-hand side of the heart.
When PVCs occur and the heart is affected, it may feel as if it's beating faster or slower. If you have only a few episodes, but no other symptoms, the doctor probably won't be able to treat you. However, if you have large number of PVCs and you have other symptoms, your doctor might recommend an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG to determine your heart rate over a 24-hour period. They might also recommend wearing a Holter monitor that will track the heart's rhythm over time to determine how many PVCs you have.
Anyone who has suffered an earlier heart attack or cardiomyopathy, an illness that affects the method by which the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle modifications. Those include the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist might prescribe medications to slow heartbeat, for example, beta blockers.
If you have frequent PVCs, even if you don't have any other signs, you should see an expert in cardiology. These extra heartbeats may be a sign of a problem with the structure of your lungs or heart, and if they occur frequently enough, can weaken your heart muscle. But the majority of people with PVCs don't have any issues. They just want to be aware that the fluttering or skippy heartbeats aren't typical.
Diagnosis
PVCs might feel like fluttering or skipped heartbeats, especially if they're frequent or intense. Patients who have a lot of them may feel they're going to faint. Exercise can cause them, but many athletes who experience these symptoms do not have heart or health problems. PVCs may show up on tests such as an electrocardiogram, or Holter monitor. These use sticky patches with sensors to record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist may also use an ultrasound echocardiogram to examine the heart.
Most of the time, a doctor will be able to determine if the patient has PVCs from a patient's history and physical exam. Sometimes, however, they may only notice PVCs when examining patients for a different reason, like following an accident or surgical procedure. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They can be used to detect cardiac disease when there is a concerns.
If your cardiologist determines that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance is the only remedy required. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or make you feel anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine, and over the prescription decongestants, as well as decreasing stress can aid. Regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and drinking enough fluids can help to reduce the frequency of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk with your physician about possible treatments that could help control them.
Treatment
If PVCs are rare or don't cause symptoms, they do not usually need treatment. If you have them often, your doctor may want to examine for other heart issues and recommend lifestyle changes or medicine. You could also undergo an operation (called radiofrequency cathode ablation) to eliminate them.
If you have PVCs the electrical signal that triggers your heartbeat begins somewhere other than the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top right corner of your heart. This could cause it to feel like your heart skips a beat or is beating faster. It's not known what causes these, but they're more common in people who have other heart issues. PVCs can increase in frequency as we age and can occur more often during exercises.
If a patient is experiencing frequent and painful PVCs, a physician should conduct an ECG and an echocardiogram to rule out heart disease that is structural. They should also conduct an exercise stress test to see whether the additional beats are due to physical exercise. A heart catheterization, cardiac MRI or nuclear perfusion study can be done to look for other causes for the additional beats.
The majority of people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and can lead the normal life. But they can increase the risk of developing dangerous heart rhythm issues particularly if you have certain patterns of them. In some instances, this means the heart muscle gets weaker and has trouble pumping blood through your body.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet can reduce your risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods that are high in sodium and fat and restrict your intake of tobacco and caffeine. Also, you should try to sleep enough and reduce stress. Certain medicines can also increase your risk of PVCs. If you are taking any of these medicines it is essential that you follow your doctor's advice about eating healthy exercising, as well as taking your medication.
Studies of patients suffering from a high burden of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. Certain people may require an organ transplant.